This is the third entry in a series on subway advertisements. The first post detailed train ads. The second post went over platform ads. In this entry, we’ll be looking at subway station ads.

If you want to utilize subway advertising, but aren’t fond of platform or train ads, station advertising might be for you. In New York City alone, over 4.3 million people ride the subway every day. Station ads are another great way to grab their attention. We breakdown the options and benefits below.

Turnstiles

Turnstiles are the gates that, well, turn, letting you into the platform after you’ve paid. Turnstiles are an awesome resource for creating brand awareness due to their high recall rate. They’re also one of the few out-of-home formats that can give you an exact number of impressions.

Signage

You have a lot of creative options with subway station signage. Smaller signage, such as wall clings or vinyl posters, go anywhere and posters can even be backlit. Larger stations often have billboard size posters available. Don’t forget about hanging banners from the ceiling or painting a mural on the walls.

Digital Displays

Digital displays are very common in subway stations. Some are simply digital billboards, showing a static digital image. Others have more advanced technology, offering video, audio, interactivity, and even augmented reality to a captive audience. An interactive digital display is a great way to turn heads.

Wi-Fi Advertising

Many subway stations offer free wi-fi. A large number of people take advantage of this service, especially at underground stations where they can’t connect to their normal cellular networks. Once connected to the network, commuters must watch a short video or look at a quick ad before being able to move on and use the network. This makes wi-fi advertising a fantastic option if you want to be sure that your ad is being seen.

DOmedia, the host to the largest database of OOH vendors in the US, is constantly encountering innovative vendors. In our Vendor Spotlight series, we attempt to highlight these companies and explain to you how they are pushing the industry forward. Today we’re focusing on the Perpetual Media Network, an exciting digital signage network company.

Perpetual was founded by President & Chairman, Brandon and Jay Wilton, in 2015, and is further facilitated by a team of industry professionals. According to Eric Elder, Executive Vice President, Perpetual Media Network is committed to offering:

“Never before available audience venues to brands” through their “holistic, end-to-end ad platform.”

By combining digital out-of-home network technologies and their OTT/Connected TV networks, the Perpetual Media Network connects brands to an audience of 10 million monthly viewers in retail spaces, convenience stores, and casinos across the United States.

According to Elder, Perpetual Media Network’s ability to stand out is due to their “hybrid OTT and DOOH networks” that allow them to offer “more options to advertisers for video content than virtually any other company”. Couple that with their “advanced technology platform” and Perpetual Media Network truly is “making it easier to effectively reach audiences in the out-of-home market.”

If you want to learn more check out the Perpetual Media Network vendor page here.

Want to be featured on our blog? Fill out our short vendor questionnaire here.

This is the second entry in a series on subway advertisements. The first post detailed train ads and can be found here. In this entry, we’ll be looking at subway platform ads.

If you’re not going to put your ad in or on subway trains, you may want to consider placing it on the subway platform. In New York City, over 4.3 million people ride the subway system every day. That’s tremendous reach! Platform advertising also offers very high frequency as commuters are exposed to your ads potentially several times a day. These ads are great because they’re delivered to a captive audience as they wait for their train to arrive.

PLATFORM POSTERS

Platform posters go on the walls or columns of the subway platform. They’re what commuters see as they stare ahead, waiting for their trains. Increase reach and frequency by buying several posters at multiple platforms.

DIGITAL DISPLAYS

Digital displays offer entertainment to bored commuters waiting for their trains. Many digital signs are now incorporating video and sound. Some are going as far as to include some kind of interactivity or even augmented reality. If you can successfully gameify waiting, you’ve created a truly engaged potential customer base.

NEWSSTAND ADS

Many subway platforms have newsstands, which sell newspapers, snacks, and other items. You are often able to purchase poster space there. People will notice your ad as they’re searching for today’s newspaper or a bag of salty snacks. Hit them with your ad right before they make a purchase.

STAIRS

Stair ads allow you to create large eye-level “billboards” on the stairs leading to the platform from the station. They go on the risers (side part of the stairs). This means that they are never stepped on and do not create any kind of safety issue. Stair ads stand out without being a distraction.

We frequently get questions about billboard formats and sizes. The most popular question probably is, how big is a standard billboard? Today we’ll answer that by going through different billboard types and their sizes.

Bulletins
Bulletins are the big billboards you see on the sides of busy roads and expressways. Due to their size and proximity to heavy traffic, they offer large reach and impact. The standard size is 14′ height x 48′ width. They can also come in 10’ height by 40’ width and 10’6” height by 36’ width sizes.

Posters
Smaller than bulletins are posters. They’re usually placed on secondary and primary roads, including expressways and highways. Despite their smaller size, they’re still very effective ads as the people seeing them will generally pass them repeatedly on their daily commutes. The standard poster size is 10’ height by 22’ width.

Junior Posters
Even smaller than posters are junior posters. They are placed on smaller roads, sometimes on the sides of buildings. They’re generally used to increase traffic at a nearby retail store or restaurant. The standard junior poster size is 6’ height by 12’ width.

Spectaculars
Spectaculars are placed in very busy areas in top markets. They usually incorporate newer technologies, such as lighting, video, or mobile interactivity. Since they vary in purpose and shape, there is no standard size, However, they’re usually at least the size of a standard bulletin.

Digital Billboards
While traditional billboards are typically printed on vinyl or plastic, digital billboards display their images on a digital screen. Many different advertisers buy a slot on a single board. This means that the image changes every several seconds. The sizes of digital boards match the sizes of traditional boards explained above.

This blog post is the first entry in a series on subway advertising.

Subway advertising is a great way to promote your brand or business. Lots of people ride the subway, creating several opportunities to place your ad in and around stations, platforms, and trains.  In today’s blog post we are going to cover your advertising options and benefits on and in the trains themselves.

EXTERIOR SUBWAY WRAPS

Want to make a huge impact? How about wrapping your ad on a 10-car subway train? Exterior subway wraps are very similar to bus wraps. You can have your ad put on one or many train cars. Putting your wrap on subway cars allows you to target the large number of commuters that use the subway every day. Since subway systems are generally in large cities, many of these commuters are trendsetters and executives. Putting your wrap on certain subway or monorail cars that go above ground allows you to target pedestrians and motorists, as well.

INTERIOR SUBWAY SIGNAGE

Interior signage goes inside of the train car, targeting passengers. Horizontal signage can be placed on the sides of the car. Vertical signage can be placed towards the top of the car. This leaves lots of room for creativity. In New York City alone, over 4.3 million people ride the subway system every day. Be sure it’s your ad that they are staring at.

INTERIOR SUBWAY WRAPS

Not only can you wrap the outside of train cars, but you can also wrap the inside. Ceilings, walls, floors, and seats! Combining exterior wraps with interior wraps creates a giant blank canvas on which to paint with your ad content. Now you have a truly immersive experience that passengers are more likely to engage with, talk about with friends, and post to social media.